Transgender athletes

[nat965]

Is it fair that transgender athletes compete in their non-biological division in physical sport? Why or why not?

[-:Undertaker:-]

no it isn't fair for the obvious reason that a man dressed as a woman competing in a woman's competition is still a man.

[Landon]

I don't think it's right at all. Perhaps you are referencing this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/transgender-weightlifer-outsports_us_58d280efe4b02d33b7474cfd

[Expling]

yes it's fair as they're simply representing people from their gender!

[FlyingJesus]

I don't believe they'd be allowed to in most cases because of the drugs

[Landon]

I don't believe they'd be allowed to in most cases because of the drugs

Agreed and I also saw something somewhere, don't know how true it is, can't remember the source. But basically they say that the therapy brings them down yes but not as far down as a woman. Again dunno if this is true, I'd be interested to do some research on it as to how effective the therapy is.

Feel free to correct.

[-:Undertaker:-]

yes it's fair as they're simply representing people from their gender!

so i could compete in the disabled olympics?

[Expling]

so i could compete in the disabled olympics?

Lol...
Gender and disability are a little bit different! Can't compare them :p

[FlyingJesus]

so i could compete in the disabled olympics?

Probably

[-:Undertaker:-]

Expling;

I identify as disabled though, surely it's discrimination to deny me my place?

After all #LoveISLove #Equality #Marxism #Feelings #RefugeesWelcome

[Empired]

So should we be allowing trans m to fs to still take on men in a boxing ring? That is also not safe.

Don't think trans athletes should be allowed to compete against the gender theyve transitioned to either but it does make me sad how if you're trans you basically can't officially compete against others as you're not really seen as equal to either gender. It's a difficult area.

[Charlie]

Yeah, why wouldn't it be fair? If you identify as female then you compete as a female, if you identify as male then you compete as a male. You can argue that a MtF might have an advantage because they were once male but you don't know what the skill level of each person is, how much they have trained, etc. which is what matters in athletic sports. Plus when transitioning, they'll take hormones/testosterone so they'll factor in as well.

[FlyingJesus]

Important to note the difference between transgender and transsexual, the former being anyone choosing to identify a certain way and the latter being those who have biologically been altered with surgery and hormone replacements. Of course if Terry Crews turned up saying he wants to fight in a women's flyweight boxing match that would be ridiculous, but those who for all intents and purposes have a fully transitioned physiology the only issue would be whether the drugs involved would disqualify them from competing, which I assume would be the case

[Landon]

fully transitioned physiology the only issue would be whether the drugs involved would disqualify them from competing, which I assume would be the case

What you mentioned isn't the big issue. For instance, the International Olympic Committee require a male's levels who acts as a female and wishes to compete be lower than 10 nmol/L. Female levels are below 3. There's an obvious advantage in being a male even with therapy and competing in female sports.


2.2. The athlete must demonstrate that her total testosterone level in serum
has been below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to her first
competition (with the requirement for any longer period to be based on
a confidential case-by-case evaluation, considering whether or not 12
months is a sufficient length of time to minimize any advantage in
women’s competition).

http://www.triathlon.org/uploads/docs/6.b_2015.11_IOC_consensus_meeting_on_sex_reassignm ent_and_hyperandrogenism-ENG.pdf

[FlyingJesus]

Testosterone is the drug I meant, it would be too difficult for someone on HRT to fully balance a lowered testosterone level with training in a way that's actually useful to them in the sport, so they'd either be DQd on the hormone issue or wouldn't be fit enough to compete at high levels anyway

[Landon]

Testosterone is the drug I meant, it would be too difficult for someone on HRT to fully balance a lowered testosterone level with training in a way that's actually useful to them in the sport, so they'd either be DQd on the hormone issue or wouldn't be fit enough to compete at high levels anyway

OH, gotcha. Much agreed